Filters
Sort
Sort
Sort By :
By :
Grid View
List View
Oxydendrum arboreum
Specimen tree. Red to yellow in the fall.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Habitat, Steep stream banks and ridges, hammocks, bluffs.
,
Did You Know?, Fall color, Showy flowers
Attracts bees and other pollinators.
- Prized scent, used in commercial perfumes
- Does best in cooler areas of South Florida
- Unique, fern-like leaves
Viburnum rufidulum
Specimen plant, screen plant, understory tree/shrub.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Attracts pollinators. Birds and other wildlife consume fruit.
,
Habitat, Upland hardwood forests, bluffs, secondary woods.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Larval host for the spring azure butterfly (Celastrina ladon).
Both native and non-native viburnums (Viburnum spp.) attra
- Flowers year round
- Imposing stature
- Silvery blue-green fronds
- Highly wind tolerant
- Lovely deep green, glossy leaves
- Unique, stout pineapple-like trunk when young
Athyrium filix-femina
Fronds are lacy and delicate in appearance.
Ground cover. This is a clump-forming fern (all fronds arise from a central point) making it a good focal
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, One resource (Misssouri Botantical Garden) indicates that it tolerates rabbits.
,
Habitat, Moist hammocks, swamps, shady bluffs.
,
Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Colorful fall foliage
- Adequate fertalization required
- Highly versatile
- Bright red fruits
Magnolia grandiflora
Note: There are cultivars, such as "Little Gem" sold in nurseries that originate from non-Florida stock (Little Gem is a North Carolina tree). Suitabi
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Moderate. Tolerant of salty wind and may get some salt spray. Exposure to salt spray wo
,
Wildlife, Fruits are eaten (and spread) by squirrels, opossums, and birds including quail, and turkey.
,
Habitat, Slope forest, dry-mesic to mesic upland hardwood forest.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance
Beetles are the primary pollinators. The flowers have a hardened carpel t
- Easily trimmed for smaller spaces
- Attractive light to medium green crownshaft
- Grows tall, but not massive
Dryopteris ludoviciana
Groundcover for moist, shady areas. This is an attractive fern that can form large patches in the right habitat area.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Habitat, Seep slopes, wet hammocks. Shady, moist to wet swamp forests and floodplains.
,
Did You Know?, Interesting foliage
- Compact and versatile
- Decorative diamond-shaped trunk pattern
- Unique foliage and silhouette
- Showy fall color
- Prefers acidic soil
- Tropical silhouette
Centrosema virginianum
Butterfly garden, natural landscape, habitat restoration
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Habitat, Pinelands and open coastal uplands
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Larval host plant for long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus) and northern cloudywing (Thorybes pylades) butterflies.
Pollinated by bees.
- Majestic and graceful
- Striking and exotic
- Slender and elegant
Hypericum hypericoides
Mass plantings, small specimen shrubs
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Foliage and seeds are food sources for birds and mammals.
,
Habitat, Hammock,mesic to dry mesic hardwood or mixed pine forest, flatwoods, floodplains, ruderal areas, sandhill, wet calcareous hammocks, secondary woods.
,
Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Attracts insect pollinators, especially bees.
- Stout, swollen trunk
- Beautiful exotic foliage
- Beautiful silhouette
- No longer recommended
Ipomopsis rubra
In a 2020 study of salt in irrigation water (https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/55/7/article-p1119.xml), this species was found t
,
Tolerance, Tolerant of inundation with brackish water
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Considertions, Can become weedy.
,
Wildlife, Attracts hummingbirds.
,
Habitat, Dry sites. Open, ruderal.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Attracts butterflies.
- Uncommon
- Breathtaking and memorable
- Rapid growth
- Beautiful exotic foliage
- Heavy feeder
Ficus aurea
This is a large tree best used in settings where its form can be appreciated. It is both a specimen tree and and shade tree.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray.
,
Considertions, In some settings, the tree begins as an epiphyte and sends roots down to the ground wrapping around the host. This is interesting in natural settings
,
Wildlife, Birds and small mammals consume fruit and often deposit seeds high in the canopy.
,
Habitat, Moist-wet sites to dry sites and on shallow soils over limestone. Tropical hammocks, swamps. May be epiphytic or have aerial roots that may wrap arou
,
Did You Know?, Interesting bark, Showy fruits, Interesting foliage
Larval host for ruddy daggerwing (Marpesia petreus) and Antillean daggerwing (Marpesia eleuchea)
- Rapid growth
- Slow Growth
- Wonderfully fragrant
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Unique flowers, with petals like banana peels
- Can be grown indoors
Saccharum giganteum
Specimen plant or background plant in moist informal garden. This is a mid-sized bunching grass until the flower stalk shoots up in the fall. Then it
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Considertions, The flower stalks need to be removed once no longer showy.
,
Wildlife, Birds will eat the seeds. Provides cover.
,
Habitat, Flatwoods, marshes, coastal swales, cypress ponds, lake shores, cutthroat seep.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Showy fruits
Host plant for the Clouded Skipper butterfly (Lerema accius)
,
Did You Know?, Yerba mate, the traditional tea-like beverage from South America, is made with leaves of a close relative to our holly trees, the Ilex Paraguayanis.
Y
- Easily trimmed to maintain desired size
- Christmas tree shape
- Massive, nutrient-dense edible fruit
Dalea pinnata
Three species occur in Florida. Please plant your local variety.
Wildflower garden where it is very showy in late summer/early fall.
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Some birds and small mammals consume consume the seeds (https://flawildflowers.org/).
,
Habitat, Dry flatwoods, sandhill, scrub. This species can be seen at the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers, Interesting foliage
Larval host for southern dogface (Zerene cesonia).
Attracts insects, especially bees.
- Majestic, sprawling canopy
- Prominant gray-olive crownshaft
- Tiered branches
Helianthus spp.
For best results, use species naturally found in your area
Wildflower garden. Most species bloom best if in light shade or sun, though it does depend
,
Tolerance, Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
,
Wildlife, Birds love the seeds.
,
Habitat, Flatwoods, woodlands, ruderal areas.
,
Did You Know?, Showy flowers
Bees and butterflies are attracted to sunflowers. The goldenrod soldier beetle (a.k.a. leatherwing beetle(, Chauliognathus pensylvanicu
- Does poorly in very wet soil
- Handsome
- Lovely dark green, shiny leaves
- Tropical silhouette
